Hiding From The Mountains
by KatanaPezt
Summary: (Begins before Transformers:Prime, and will carry through to the end of Beast Wars) Mary-Anne Parson wakes up one day in the medical bay of the Autobot base when her worst fear comes true. Turns out, it's the best thing to ever happen to her.
1. Chapter 1

Mary-Anne groans, opening her eyes just to find that she can't see. She tries to sit up in shock, but she's strapped to the table that she's on. "Who are you? Why did you tie me down? What are you going to do to me?"

Ratchet turns around from his computer, "Oh, you're awake." He undoes the bonds that are tying her to the medical table. "But don't move around too much. You're still weak."

She flinches at his voice, "What happened?" She tries to look around, "Why can't I see? Who are you? Where am I?"

Ratchet looks blankly at her, "Woah woah woah! One question at a time, please."  
Mary-Anne pulls her knees up to her chest, "Who are you?"

The medic answers promptly. "I am Ratchet, medic for the Autobots. We are autonomous robotic organisms From the Planet Cybertron, led by Optimus-"

The girl interrupts him, "Oh. I know who you are now." She pulls away from him a little. "So what happened?"

Ratchet coughs indignantly, "How do you know?"

"You're the medic, Ratchet, right? I must be in your secret base. Amazing. Guess I was destined to eventually end up here. Optimus Prime is your leader, Clutch is the muscle, Bumblebee is your scout, and Switchblade is a converted prisoner. You're fighting against Megatron and his decepticons to protect and defend planet Earth and yourselves." Mary-Anne winces, "So why do I feel like I was run over by a herd of elephants?"

The Autobot looks confused, "What's an elephant? And how do you know all of that?"

She sighs, "Research. Amazing what you can do with the ability to hack. Now what happened?"

"What is an elephant?" Ratchet is curious now.

Mary-Anne rolls her eyes, "Look it up. Now why am I here with two broken legs, a broken rib, and a broken arm? Not to mention being blind."

He turns around and opens a search engine on his computer, "Our scout ran into you out by a park. He was going way over the speed limit, and you crumpled. It's a miracle you're alive at all." Ratchet squints at the screen, "If that's an elephant, they are really ugly."

"Elephants are beautiful creatures. They have amazing adaptations that allow them to survive in the African Savannah." The girl winces as she crosses her arms.

Ratchet turns around in time to see her move. "From my limited knowledge of human medicine, you should not be able to move at all."

She nods, "And you're right. It hurts like crazy when I move."

He shakes his head, "Then why do you keep moving?"

"The more I move, the faster I will heal." Mary-Anne shifts slightly, "I remember what happened now." She turns her head towards Ratchet, "Can I talk to Bumblebee? I want… I need to tell him something."

The medic shifts uncomfortably. "Bumblebee is 'talking' to Optimus at the moment."

"He's not in trouble is he? It wasn't his fault, Doc! You've got to tell your leader that it wasn't his fault!" Mary-Anne turns away from him, hiding the fear in her eyes. "Please. Let me talk to him."

Ratchet turns and walks out of the medical room. Shortly, Bumblebee walks in. He buzzes sadly.

"I want you to know that this wasn't your fault. I thought that I had found a real family. They took me on a picnic to celebrate my arrival, then drugged me, blinded me, and left me in a field." Mary-Anne moves her head to face the Autobot scout. "After I woke up, I wandered through that field for an hour or so until I found the road. I was done."

Bee buzzes again. Mary-Anne laughs drily. "The first car I heard, I just jumped. Stupid experiments made me too hard to kill."

The Autobot steps back sharply and buzzes angrily. The girl looks downward, "I know. I was dehydrated and frustrated. I… I'm just glad it was you and not one of my old foster parents."

Bumblebee is silent, just looking at her sadly. Mary-Anne sighs, "I… I'm scared. Ever since I was a baby I've been afraid of the Autobots. But don't tell the others… I- I don't want to tell them my story yet."

The scout affirms with a simple nod. The girl smiles, and he realizes she can't see him. He buzzes an affirmation. "Thank-you, Bumblebee." She puts out a hand towards him, "I'm not afraid of you, though. I'm ready to tell you my story."

Bumblebee reaches out his hand, and the girl expertly and painfully climbs onto it. He transforms into his vehicular mode, as per an unspoken request for privacy.


	2. Chapter 2

About an hour later, Ratchet walks into the sick bay to find them in the same position, except that Mary-Anne is sleeping in Bee's backseat. "Bumblebee?"

The scout buzzes quietly, telling the medic not to wake the sleeping child. Ratchet sighs, "How old is she?"

Bee buzzes again. "Ten years old? She's just a sparkling!"

He is promptly shushed. "What was she doing alone at a park? Her parents must be worried sick." He adds in a quieter voice.

The scout buzzes a negative. "What do you mean, you doubt it?" Bee buzzes sadly. "That's her story to tell? What in the galaxies does that mean?"

Optimus comes to the door of the sick bay. "Ratchet, is everything alright in here?" He spots Bee sitting in vehicular mode, and notices the frail child lying in his backseat. "Is she okay?"

Ratchet nods. "Bumblebee says she is just sleeping. Optimus… it may be unwise to bring this child to a human hospital right away. While our friend here has been vague, I get the idea that this human child has been greatly hurt by her own kind."

"Is that so, Bumblebee?" Optimus turns to the scout, who buzzes an almost silent affirmative. "We will let her stay if she wants to. Agent Flynn would be willing to help with that."

When Mary-Anne wakes up, she is still lying down in Bee's backseat. "How long have I been out?"

Ratchet glances down when Bee responds. "Is she awake, Bumblebee? It's about time."

He mutters, "It's been almost three hours."

The girl climbs slowly out of the car. She's still in pain, but her ribs and legs are healing well. "Thanks, Bumblebee."

He transforms into robot mode and buzzes. "Well I wouldn't say that! You stayed in vehicle mode for a little over four hours!"

Ratchet rolls his optics. "That _is_ more than he normally ever stays in one mode."

Mary-Anne flinches just visibly. "Hello again, Ratchet." She attempts a smile as she turns toward him.

Optimus comes to the door. Ratchet glances at him. "Oh good. I was just coming to tell you she was awake."

The Prime nods and looks at Mary-Anne. Bumblebee scoops her gently into his hand, and lifts her up so she's closer to eye level with him. "What is your name, child?" While Optimus' voice is gentle and kind, it fills the girl with panic and rage.

She manages to hide it well, though. She's never been too expressive, and since being placed in foster care, she's learned to hide her feeling even better. "You must be Optimus Prime." She says with only a tiny quiver in her voice as she says the name, "It's an honour to meet you, sir."

"And it is an honour for us to welcome you into our base. It is not often Bumblebee makes a friend so quickly." Optimus watches her curiously. "Ratchet said that your blinding was not caused by the accident."

She sighs, "I… My fifth foster parents blinded me yesterday afternoon… Somehow they used a poison that got past my defenses."

Ratchet turns around from the computer, "Why would they do a thing like that?"

"Because the human race is filled with evil people who all they want to do is hurt for their own amusement." The girl's face flickers with a hint of anger. "I've been hurt by every single person that was supposed to love and take care of me."

Bumblebee tightens the hand that isn't holding Mary-Anne into a fist, but "says" nothing. The other Autobots notice this, and they guess that the scout knows more than they do about the child's past.

Optimus says, "I didn't get your name."

"Oh. Yeah. I'm Mary-Anne Parson." She chuckles a little, and traces a pattern on Bee's hand.

"Well, Mary-Anne Parson, if you don't want to go back to the other humans right away, we are willing to accept you as a guest for the time being." As the Prime says this, Ratchet sighs. "Even Ratchet, though he may try and convince you otherwise."

Bee chuckles, and adds something to the statement. Mary-Anne giggles suddenly. "Really? It was his idea?"

Ratchet sighs, "Actually, Bumblebee asked if he could keep you."

The girl rolls her eyes and leans back, so her back is lying against Bee's thumb. "I believe a little bit of both, actually. I… I might like to stay here… Wouldn't it bother you guys to have a weak human around?"

Ratchet opens his mouth to answer, but Bee stops him. Optimus lifts a hand for silence. "Before you agree to staying, you should meet the others."

"There is only five of you here, right?" Mary-Anne glances around at Bee nervously. He nods. "Okay. Where are they?"

Optimus turns around and heads out into the main area of the base. "This way."

Switchblade looks up from her latest art project when they come in, and pulls a tarp down over it. She stands up to greet Optimus.

Clutch pokes his head out of the training arena, and steps into the main area to stand beside Switchblade.

Mary-Anne listens to the footsteps, and memorizes them for later. Optimus nods at the two 'bots. "Switchblade, Clutch, I would like you to welcome our possibly long term guest, Mary-Anne Parson."

As Mary-Anne greets them, little does she know that these two Autobots will become one of her most painful memories. "Hello…" She smiles and waves in their general direction.

Switchblade winces at her cloudy eyes, and smiles a little. "Hey."

Clutch rolls his optics. Humans are too puny for him to deal with. "Hey."

Optimus narrows his optics at Clutch, and the 'bot flinches slightly. Bumblebee buzzes at them, introducing Mary-Anne to Switchblade and Clutch. They all exchange nice to meet you's and other formalities, then fall back into silence.

Ratchet crosses his arms, and turns around to go back into the sick bay. Optimus stops him. "Not so fast, old friend. We need to have a meeting."

Mary-Anne blinks, and her grip tightens ever so slightly on Bee's hand. He glances down at her, and buzzes to Ratchet. The medic nods, "I think Bumblebee is right, Optimus. Our visitor probably needs a short rest before we have a meeting to decide her and our, future."

The girl relaxes just visibly, and Bee smiles. Ratchet noticed the fear that had sprung up in her eyes, although she had hidden it well. He waits until Bee has let her down onto the sick bay bed, and they have left the room. "Bumblebee, is that girl afraid of us?"

Bee looks away. Optimus narrows his eyes at him. "Bumblebee, answer Ratchet."

He buzzes an affirmative in defeat. Switchblade rolls her eyes, "We're giant robots, and she just met us. I would be scared too."

Ratchet thinks for a moment, "But she knew about us before. She knew our names, and our positions and histories."

"How? We've been in hiding for years." Clutch turns to Optimus. "Unless Agent Flynn has been leaking information."

The medic shakes his head, "No. She openly admitted that she hacked into secret files to find out about us. She might have been researching because she saw us at some time and was frightened."

Bee flinches at just how close Ratchet got to the truth, but says nothing. If you asked him, it's Mary-Anne's story to tell.

Optimus thinks for a moment, watching the scout concernedly. "Bumblebee, if she told you something we need to know, you have to tell us."

Shaking his head, Bee buzzes sadly. Switchblade looks at him, "Optimus? May I suggest a course of action?"

The leader of the Autobots turns to stare at her for a couple seconds before answering. "You may." Switchblade very rarely talks to him, and even more rare when she has not been asked a question.

She continues nervously, "What if we let Bumblebee keep his promise not to tell Mary-Anne's secrets for now, and when she's feeling better, you can ask _her_ the questions."

The other Autobots all stare at her. Bee buzzes an agreement. Ratchet nods reluctantly. Clutch rolls his optics. Optimus smiles slightly. "You're right. I wouldn't want Bumblebee to lose the trust that our young visitor has in him."

Bee buzzes gratefully, and when Optimus isn't looking, gives Switchblade a fist bump. She grins and winks at him.

Transformers Prime does not belong to me.

Taygetans do.

:)


	3. Chapter 3

Transformers doesn't belong to me.

When Mary-Anne wakes up, she doesn't move. Ever since the accident where her parents were killed, she had been terrified of the giant Cybertronians. The meeting that Optimus suggested fills her with panic, and she wants to put it off as long as possible.

She had been put into foster care almost right away. Every home she was placed in was terrible. The third one was the worst though. Aside from beatings and other abuse, Mary-Anne had been treated as an experiment, her powers tampered with to make them four times stronger than before, and to make her controllable.

Ratchet glances at her as the memory makes her grimace. "Mary-Anne, how are you feeling?"

She sighs and sits up slowly, giving up on playing possum. "Better. Still blind though, apparently." She blinks her eyes a couple times, actually glad that she cannot see the giant robot in front of her. It's hard enough staying calm as it is. "I heard a little of your conversation while I was dropping off to sleep. I didn't realize it would put Bumblebee in such a difficult situation if I asked him not to tell anyone my… history."

The medic tilts his head to the side. "And we should respect your wishes. Bumblebee acted much the same when Switchblade first came to us."

Optimus walks into the medical bay then. "Mary-Anne Parson, are you feeling up to a meeting?"

"I… I think so." The girl mentally yells at herself for sounding so weak. Even if the robots mean no harm, she doesn't want to appear fragile, something (even to giant robots that turn into cars) she most certainly is not.

The Prime gently lays his hand down on the medical bed. Hesitating just slightly, Mary-Anne climbs onto it, defenses ready. Ratchet notices her stiffness, and assumes she may be sore from lying on the metal bed. "If you are going to stay here, we will have to somehow get you a… what is it called? What humans sleep on?"

"A bed?" She laughs a little at his confusion. "I can probably get one from Thalia-" She freezes, wishing she hadn't dropped that last bit of information.

Ratchet and Optimus exchange glances. The medic voices his confusion as they start walking, "Thalia?"

Mary-Anne winces. "It's a place I go sometimes. I can get there with this necklace." She holds up a cat shaped pendant on a chain around her neck. "I can get stuff from there, but I can't go permanently until I'm at least 18, or I would have moved long ago." She clasps the pendant tightly. "It's where my parents were from. They moved here when they got married."

Ratchet goes to push the matter further, but Optimus stops him. The girl riding in his palm is tense and shivering slightly, and he doesn't want her to be more afraid then she already is. They arrive at the place where the other three 'bots are standing around a table talking. Optimus gently puts the girl down, and she smiles thankfully.

Unconsciously, she finds herself sitting down in front of Bumblebee. Optimus notices, and he wonders how she knew where he was. The scout isn't the most talkative of the three, and he wasn't making any sounds for her to follow.

Pushing the matter aside, the leader starts the meeting. "Mary-Anne Parson, do you want to tell us a little about yourself?"

She laughs to cover up her nervousness. "Well… first thing, you don't have to call me by my full name every time. Just Mary-Anne is fine." She smiles shyly in Optimus' direction. Bumblebee buzzes almost silently, just loud enough for her to hear, encouraging her. She continues, "I was born in Ontario Canada ten years ago to two wonderful parents, Maria and Andrew Parson. Three years later, we… were in an accident. I survived, saved by my car seat. My parents…" She blinks, holding back tears, "They weren't so lucky. After the funeral, I was placed into my first foster home. It wasn't too bad. Well, at least until later, but… that's another story. Throughout the next seven years, I've been in five foster homes, and not one of them has been good." She sighs, "My last foster parents were taking me on a picnic to celebrate their birthdays when they drugged me, blinded me, and left me to die under a bush. When I woke up, I ran into Bumblebee on the road after wandering for an hour. And… yeah. That's pretty much it."

Switchblade looks at the girl, a look of sympathy on her face. She can tell that being left to die in a park is the least of the things that have been done to this girl. "That's such a sad story, Mary-Anne."

Optimus meets Ratchet's gaze worriedly. The medic had mentioned old injuries not from the accident that had never fully healed when he scanned the child when she first arrived. At least now they knew what they were from. Ratchet nods, "Is this kind of story normal for human children?"

Mary-Anne laughs bitterly. "Some maybe. But no. Most children (In North America anyway) get to live with their parents until they're through childhood and considered adults. And the luckiest ones get good parents who don't like to hurt for entertainment."

Switchblade winces, the girl's words bringing back memories of her own sparkling years in the Decepticon ranks. "And the less lucky ones get bloodthirsty maniacs for parents?"

The girl nods, looking in the femme's direction. "Yes… I'm lucky my parents were such gentle T- people." She almost says Taygetans, but covers it up quickly. Though her instincts tell her the robots are trustworthy, her life of betrayal keeps her from revealing the secret she has managed to keep from most.

Bumblebee places a hand on Switch's shoulder. He alone knows a little of her story, and tries to keep her mind off the memories as much as possible. He buzzes, trying to get the meeting back on track.

Optimus answers calmly. "If Mary-Anne is to stay here, we must plan in the event that Agent Flynn will show up unannounced, and make her accommodations of some sort."

Ratchet groans, "And speaking of Agent Flynn, his scheduled video conference is for very soon." As he says this, a call comes in over the screens in the main area of the base.


End file.
